Blog 15 July 2024
Air pollution was responsible for 8.1 million premature deaths globally in 2021, making it the second leading risk of death worldwide (Health Effects Institute). How can policymakers leverage air quality data to drive climate progress? Why is addressing this issue locally key to improving and saving lives? Unpacking these crucial questions, the latest episode of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Follow the Data podcast looks at the state of global air pollution and the power of data to inform action.
Follow the Data highlights initiatives making a significant impact in education, the arts, the environment, public health, and government innovation. In their latest episode, host Katherine Oliver talks to Jaime Pumarejo, our Executive Director of Breathe Cities and former Mayor of Barranquilla, Colombia. They are also joined by Dr Pallavi Pant, leader of the Global Health program at the Health Effects Institute, and Antha Williams, head of the Environment programme at Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The episode looks at the crucial role of data-driven research in helping communities and policymakers make informed decisions about environmental, air quality and public health policies.
Listen now:
More than 2.6 billion people are living in cities with air that exceeds WHO guidelines… We’re just not taking it into account in many of the policies written and many of the actions being taken on the world stage. I think the first thing is to raise awareness that this does disproportionately affect cities’ and countries’ development. Because of climate change, when we have heatwaves, the air pollution is exacerbated, so this particulate matter floating around in the air becomes more dangerous and we can’t adequately find shelter.
Jaime Pumarejo
